The last two years have led to great changes in various industries due to the global pandemic.
In 2022, it is highly expected that the plastic packaging industry will keep evolving with the introduction of modern tools, technology, and trends.
Following are the major expected trends of the plastic market industry in 2022.
1. Greater Focus on Plastics and Sustainability
Consumers, environmental activists, and even some governments are asking plastic manufacturers to be accountable for the manufacturing process and its potentially harmful impacts on the environment.
With time, more and more programs are emerging that focus on expanding the usage of bio-based plastics to reduce the impact of traditional plastic on the environment.
Due to the pandemic, the main focus for plastic manufacturers and distributors is on rehabilitating the supply chain.
Yet, sustainability issues are also gaining global attention, so, in 2022, companies will need to consider sustainability while manufacturing and using plastics.
Yet, it is important to note that the current trends indicate that traditional plastics will remain a major part of the plastics industry in the near future.
2. Packaging Digitalization
While traditional plastic bags and stretch films continue to dominate the market, the significance of digitalization of packaging is also increasing.
This includes upgrading the tracking labels and better reporting of the packaging process to ensure all processes are completed with maximum efficiency.
The rapid boom in the e-commerce industry is another reason why the digitalization of packaging has become a necessity in these times.
Packaging plays an integral role in the overall customer experience, and using some kind of plastic, like stretch films, is inevitable in packaging.
Similarly, many restaurants and food delivery services use food wraps for packaging and delivering food.
3. Addressing the Consumer Safety Concerns
It is highly important for plastic manufacturers and businesses to address customer safety concerns about the composition of their packaging.
Consumers all over the world have concerns about the exchange of various gases and vapours that can adversely impact the quality and safety of products.
Companies are already addressing these concerns by using safe stretch films that do not affect the products.
It shows that companies will have to ensure that their customers know that they are using safe and sustainable packaging material.
4. Traditional Plastics
The trends indicate that traditional plastics made from petroleum-based raw materials, like polyethylene will continue to dominate the global plastic industry.
The major reason behind this is that polyethylene is still one of the best materials available that can be processed into all kinds of shapes and sizes and still provide good insulation, strength, and resistance required in plastic products.
It is used in manufacturing various products, like plastic pipes, wire, stretch films, food wraps, and plastic bags.
On the other hand, polypropylene made up of a combination of propylene monomers will also remain popular in the future. It is typically produced in the shape of thin plastics capable of bending without breaking.
Important properties of polypropylene are reliable strength, high heat resistance, insulation, and semi-rigidity.
It is used in the production of products like carpets, containers, stretch films, textiles, clothing, and various other low-density packagings.
5. Robust Growth
Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting the world, the plastic industry is expected to see massive growth because the packaging industry is gaining momentum and recovering from the pandemic.
Furthermore, the e-commerce industry is playing an integral role in the rising demand for plastic packaging all over the world.
As a result, more and more companies are emerging as online businesses that need reliable and efficient plastic packaging solutions for product delivery.
Innovations in the plastic industry are also driving the high demand because there is a great need for plastic packaging solutions that have high wear and chemical resistance, recyclability, and better flexibility.
Due to the greater demand, the competition in the plastic industry is also increasing.
Generally, most of the plastics market is consolidated in nature due to the limited number of plastic resin manufacturers.
However, there is still great room for improving the manufacturing process of plastics and their quality to attract more customers.
Therefore, there is a high chance that more plastic manufacturers and suppliers will emerge in 2022.
All In All
The bottom line is that the global plastics industry is on the path of continuous growth because of massive demand.
In addition, factors like the popularity of e-commerce, product delivery services, and greater demand for sustainability have provided the plastics market with an opportunity to grow exponentially in an efficient and eco-friendly manner and cater to the demands of millions of people all over the world.